In 1982 graduated from the Moscow Institute of Physics & Technology; then worked as the head of a research lab before Soviet Union collapsed. In 1992 established a precursor to EvrazHolding; made a fortune exporting metals and coal from the Urals and Siberia. After 1998 Russian financial crisis, bought up steel companies and coal mines on the cheap, purchased a big stake in Russia's electric monopoly RAO UES. In 2006 Russia's richest man, billionaire Roman Abramovich, became Abramov's partner in Evraz. In 2007, made a number of acquisitions, including U.S. firms Claymont Steel Holdings of Delaware and Oregon Steel Mills.